As you know this group is very informal, I like that and want to keep it a friendly, family atmosphere.  But I feel a few guidelines are needed just to avoid confusion on any one's part.  The following guidelines are only for my own hosted tournys.  Other member tournys may not follow them.

1. Everything is voluntary with the exception of numbers 2 and 7.  No one should feel obligated to play in any tourny just to please me.  All I ask is that if you are invited to a special event which has limited invites, like an Intro Invite, and do not want to play, then let me know so I can invite another member and keep the tournys flowing smoothly.
2. Fast game play is expected for all players in any of my tournys.  By fast I mean just don't drag out your games and thus slowing down other tourny players.  You all play at different speeds and I don't want anyone to feel they must rush their moves.  If any tourny player is having a problem with keeping up or thinks they may be going on vacation or whatever please send me a message and we can discuss.  I am very open minded.  If I see someone slowing down dramatically they will get a message from me if I am concerned.  And if we can not resolve the problem with discussion you may not get future tourny invites.  An exception to this rule is the Slow and Relaxed Play tourny series.
   
3. Do not be misled by some tourny options when I first create a tourny.  Max players and max group size will be inflated so it is easier on me.  When the tourny starts these will both be lower.  I plan on pairing groups of about 4 players for each round so as not to add many games to your games in progress at one time.  This group size of 4 players may change slightly depending on how many advance to the next round due to ties thus helping make the tourny one round shorter.  These options should always be the same:  3 days/move, invite only, one concurrent game at a time per opponent, games are rated, no tiebreaker, and other default options like time out % that I do not touch.  The one to look at is rating range.  This could be different for each tourny and usually be indicated in the tournys name.
   
4. The start time for any tourny will usually have no warning.  When I feel the tourny has the right number of players it will start.  The only exception will be if one of the players registered lets me know he is going on vacation or other reasons that may delay him playing.  Then I will either set a time to start (which you can see in the tourny screen) to wait for him, or ask him to withdraw.  So please be aware that you should check to see if the tourny's start date is not ASAP.
5. Any member who is a TD or wants to be one can use the group to help run their own tournys.  You may use the Member List topic to get an invite list for your tournys.  There are two lists in there.  The Master List is of all the group members.  The other list is culled so that any slow players or members not wishing invites are not there.  You can also use the forums to announce, put in links to your tournys, etc.  In fact I encourage any TDs to do this as I would like to see them and it is easier for me to recruit more members from tournament pairings than any other method.  Of course they are your own tournys and do not have to follow these guidelines.
6. The only way to get banned from the group is for disrespecting other group members and showing repeated unsportsmanlike conduct.  This will only be done in extreme cases where communication does not work in solving complaints by members about other group members.
7. You must be in my friends list to be in the group.
   

if you have any suggestions, comments, and/or questions feel free to submit a post to this forum topic.  If you feel you should have gotten an invite to a tourny you were eligible for and did not receive one then send me a message.  Or if your rating has changed to make you eligible for a tourny you were not eligible for before let me know if you want in.  I make mistakes like anyone else and also the interface I have to use is inconsistent at times.

Please do not be afraid of number 2.  This is only there just in case and I don't expect to use it very often.  I am open minded and there are lots of reasons why you may not be keeping up in your games.  I just don't want my tournys to drag on for 3 or 4 months when they could be finished in weeks.  And I also believe in second chances.  You will always have one here.  That is another reason why I have Intro Invites.  I expect them to be my slowest running tournys anyway so I will use them to allow members to have second chances to show that they will not drag out tournys.